TRUMP Flip-Flops: ‘DEAL OF CENTURY’ MAY BE REVEALED BEFORE ISRAELI ELECTION

BY REUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF AUGUST 26, 2019

The peace deal known as the “deal of the century” may be revealed before the Israeli election on September 17, US President Donald Trump said on Monday while attending the G7 summit in France.

He said that he believes both the Israelis and Palestinians are interested in a peace deal and that the Palestinians will come to the table in order to receive American funding, which had been suspended.

“The US president’s intention to publicize his peace plan before the Israeli elections is just and correct,” Blue and White No. 2 Yair Lapid said on Monday. “The Israeli public has a right to know what to expect the day after the elections. A Blue and White government will be a partner for anything that strengthens Israel’s security and safeguards the country’s interests.”

Trump also said on Monday he wanted to see a strong Iran and was not seeking regime change in Tehran, adding that the way Iranians were being forced to live was unacceptable.

Talking to reporters at a summit of wealthy nation leaders, Trump said he had not been surprised that France had invited Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for talks on Sunday on the sidelines of the G7 gathering.

However, he said he had not wanted to see Zarif himself, adding that it was too soon for such an encounter. 

Iran’s foreign minister flew into the French resort hosting a G7 summit on Sunday, an unexpected twist to a meeting already troubled by differences between Trump and Western allies over a raft of issues, including Iran.

A White House official said France’s invitation to Zarif for talks on the sidelines of the meeting in the Basque beachside town of Biarritz was “a surprise,” and there were no immediate plans for U.S. officials to meet him.

Zarif went straight into talks with his French counterpart to assess what conditions could lead to a de-escalation of tension between Tehran and Washington, a French official said.